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World Horse Welfare calls for improved equine laws
World Horse Welfare hopes its White Paper will be used to inform legislation.
It asks that new legislative commitments are extended to non-farming equines.

World Horse Welfare has called for improved animal welfare legislation to protect both farming and non-farming horses, donkeys and mules.

It follows the release of the European Commission’s Vision for Agriculture and Food – a document committing to updating the European Union (EU) animal welfare legislation.

The publication has been welcomed by World Horse Welfare, which is now calling for the laws to be extended to all of Europe’s horses, donkeys and mules, and not just those kept for farming. It has also appealed for any changes to the law to be made with scientific evidence.

In his latest address Oliver Várhelyi, the European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, outlined a commitment to the ‘End of the Cage Age’ initiative. The initiative brings organisations together to eliminate the use of cages in animal farming.

However, World Horse Welfare has said that the initiative provides no detail on how the animal welfare rules would be modernised within the EU.

It says that it is ‘crucial’ that there is a comprehensive review of EU animal welfare legislation. It also believes that any changes should be informed by the latest scientific evidence.

World Horse Welfare cites a White Paper, Good Welfare for Equids, as a key component to reforming equine legislation. Compiled by experts, and published by Eurogroup for Animals, has already received support from charities and welfare organisations.

The charity suggests that the White Paper, which includes the latest scientific evidence and welfare indicators, should inform future legislation. This could include a digital equine identification system, which World Horse Welfare says is the cornerstone of protecting equine welfare.

Jessica Stark, director of communications and public affairs at World Horse Welfare, said: “By basing any new welfare laws on evidence, including the widely-accepted Five Domains model of animal welfare assessment, our aspiration is for the EU to move beyond basic standards of ‘a life worth living’ to providing all of Europe’s horses, donkeys and mules with a ‘good life'.”
 
“The White Paper highlights the vital need for a consistent, robust, practical, and enforceable approach to identification and traceability for all equids across Europe if their welfare is to be protected, and laws enforced.”

The White Paper, Good Welfare for Equids, is available here.

Image © World Horse Welfare

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.